Rear Clearance light wiring

[Wavery]

I'm installing a wireless back-up camera on my 2009 2720SL.

I want to mount the camera in place of the center rear clearance light and use that wiring to power the camera. I just can't figure out how to remove that clearance light or how to get to the wiring.

Has anyone done anything similar to this and can help?

[Bill]

I'm sure you've tried simply popping off the lens? That is the common way to get access into the fixture, and its mounting screws.

Bill

[Wavery]

Originally Posted by Bill

I'm sure you've tried simply popping off the lens? That is the common way to get access into the fixture, and its mounting screws.

Bill

This 2009 2720SL has some different kind of lights. They're all LED and seem to be bolted onto the outer skin before assembly.

As you can see, I popped off the tail light but I don't want to run a wire on the outside of the trailer. That would look tacky.


I tried popping off the chrome bezel but when I try to lift it, I can tell that it is bolted from the inside somehow. I guess that I may have to remove the inside curtain and valance and see if I can get under the sheet metal without making too big of a mess.

[TammyandTony]

The chrome bezel does pop off, I needed to replace 1 in my 2009 last year.
There should be a slot to fit a screwdriver in that is offset from the center.

Not sure if you can see in the picture, but the center of the top and bottom (widest section) have ridges that snap in.

[Bill]

I want to mount the camera in place of the center rear clearance light and use that wiring to power the camera.

In your first post, you referred to the CENTER rear clearance light. Is that the center one of the three above the rear window? If so, is that where you plan to mount the camera? If so, why are you messing about with the multi-light turn-brake-etc fixture on the left side?

Bill

[Wavery]

Originally Posted by TammyandTony

The chrome bezel does pop off, I needed to replace 1 in my 2009 last year.
There should be a slot to fit a screwdriver in that is offset from the center.

Not sure if you can see in the picture, but the center of the top and bottom (widest section) have ridges that snap in.

Thanks, That was helpful.

I was able to solder the camera hot wire into the light wiring and left the light in place. I removed the curtain and all the trimmings from the inside. That exposed the opening to the inside and was able to run the wire up through the center roof molding and into the rear ceiling vent surround (following the route for the interior light wiring). I then drilled a hole in the rear, vertical face of the roof vent frame to exit onto the roof. I mounted the camera on the roof, looking back and down. Worked out perfectly. However way too time consuming. I just hate seeing wires running all over the place.

[Wavery]

Originally Posted by Bill

In your first post, you referred to the CENTER rear clearance light. Is that the center one of the three above the rear window? If so, is that where you plan to mount the camera? If so, why are you messing about with the multi-light turn-brake-etc fixture on the left side?

Bill

My first thought was to tap into the taillight wiring from there, then run conduit up the back to the roof then across the roof to the camera mounted in the center.

I didn't think that I would like the look of that so I started exploring the clearance light wiring. Thanks to "TammyandTony" I was able to pop off the light bezel. It wasn't that easy though because it was all calked over and the lamp itself was glued and screwed to the sheet metal. I had to clean off the calking to find the spot to pry the bezel off.

The camera works great and the signal is better than I hoped for. I'll have to wait and see how it works on the highway.

If I were to do it again, I would just go to the taillight wiring like I 1st intended. Then I would drill a small hole through to the inside and run the decorative conduit or even some white plastic tape over the wire and run it up to the ceiling and though the vent, like I did.

[Shane826]

You have a vent over the rear bed? I keep kicking around the idea to add one. But I can’t get my old man’s voice out of my head talking about cars with a sunroof, “a hole in the roof is still a hole in the roof”…

[Bill]

Originally Posted by Wavery

I removed the curtain and all the trimmings from the inside. That exposed the opening to the inside and was able to run the wire up through the center roof molding ...

Do I understand that if I remove the rear window curtain and the trim, I will find access into the back wall, and the wires in the wall exposed or accessible? Hope so - I am still trying to figure a nice way to add backup lights to my 2020 2720QS - the factory did not add them.The backup light wire from the 7-pin Bargman goes as far as the refrig compartment, and dead ends there. I'm looking for a way to get them to the back wall and up into position. This could help.

My Plan B for this project is to run the backup light wire under the TM to the back bumper area, and mount backup lights on the bumper. It would be simple, it would work, but it wouldn't look great.

Bill

[Wavery]

Originally Posted by Bill

Do I understand that if I remove the rear window curtain and the trim, I will find access into the back wall, and the wires in the wall exposed or accessible? Hope so - I am still trying to figure a nice way to add backup lights to my 2020 2720QS - the factory did not add them.The backup light wire from the 7-pin Bargman goes as far as the refrig compartment, and dead ends there. I'm looking for a way to get them to the back wall and up into position. This could help.

My Plan B for this project is to run the backup light wire under the TM to the back bumper area, and mount backup lights on the bumper. It would be simple, it would work, but it wouldn't look great.

Bill

I should have taken pics when I was back there.....

When that plastic trim panel above the window is out, all I saw was 1" holes behind each of the clearance lights.. There wires for the clearance lights and interior lights run on top of the back wall, under the roof. I think that you can access them by removing the crown molding above the curtains that runs all the way across the back (on my trailer). I think that molding is just held in with calking. It would stand to reason that the taillight, stoplight and B/U light wires run through there also.

My trailer has working back up lights. I would imagine that the wiring harnesses haven't changed much. I would be surprised if there aren't B/U light wires already behind your taillights.